Pre-Adamic Garden of Eden and Adamic (Biblical) Garden of Eden

by Joaozinho da S. F. A. Martins
(Goa, India)

It is unbelievable; but it is true! It may come as a real surprise to almost everyone to know that there was a pre-Adamic Garden on primeval earth in a place already then named and known as Eden. This was long long before the creation of the Adamic Garden of Eden of which we all are very familiar being the same clearly described in Genesis 2.

However, has it ever occurred to you that the first mention in the Bible of a geographical term denoting to a specific location on earth is "Eden"? (Genesis 2:8). Still more surprising is the fact that the location Eden in Genesis 2:8, 10, 15 is mentioned as if it was a well-known location at the time of Adam's creation. We are next simply or rather casually told that the LORD God planted a garden eastward in Eden. Now the phrase "eastward in Eden", that is to say, "East of Eden" implies that Eden must have been already geographically known, and that pre-historical Eden was then a very familiar location on primeval earth. Now this could be the case only if such a place bearing the name Eden was already in existence long before the creation of Adam. More, we are told that God next placed Adam in the garden He had planted Eastward of Eden. We are not told that God created a garden, and then named it: Garden of Eden, in which next He placed Adam. As such, there must have been a location on earth prior to Genesis 1:2 and still much prior to Genesis 2:8 that was then geographically known as Eden.

The above conclusions or inferences drawn imply that there must have been an earlier pre-historical pre-Adamic place on primal earth created in the beginning itself, and known as Eden. It further goes to prove that pre-Adamic life existed on earth prior to the chaos described in Genesis 1:2. This fact is further confirmed by the clear references to some earlier Garden referred to in Ezekiel 28 and again in 31. Further, the Hebrew word translated as "eastward" in Genesis can be equally translated as "of old". That is, we could translate Genesis 2:8 to mean God planted a Garden, as of old, in Eden. All the above inferences should lead us to conclude the creation of an earlier Garden called Garden of Eden populated by the angels and pre-Adamic men which was eventually destroyed as a consequence of pre-historical sin. And that, subsequently God next restored a miniature Garden during the six-day work to be given to Adam once created.

All the above pertinent observations should lead us to convincingly conclude the creation and, as such, the existence of a pre-historical pre-Adamic Garden located in a pre-historical place then called and known as Eden. This prehistoric Garden in earlier Eden had to be eventually destroyed as a consequence pre-historic universal sin. Subsequently, God restored light and life and a new Garden after creating Adam in which he was to dwell in.